UM APOLOGISES, EXPRESSES REGRET OVER CONTROVERSIAL STATEMENTS BY FOREIGN SPEAKER

KUALA LUMPUR, April 25 (Bernama) -- Universiti Malaya (UM) has apologised and expressed regret for the controversial and disrespectful statements made by a foreign speaker invited for a lecture at the university, which went viral on social media.

In a statement today, UM also said that it had cancelled all programmes and activities scheduled to be attended by the professor at the university, as ordered by Higher Education Minister Datuk Seri Dr Zambry Abd Kadir.

A full report on the issue is also being prepared and stern action will be taken against those involved, it said.

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“In order to ensure that this kind of thing does not happen again, UM is also improving stricter procedures and guidelines, especially the background check of any individual or party prior to any collaboration, including the risk assessment study of social media profiles,” the statement said.

The presence of the pro-Zionist political science professor, Bruce Gilley, at the university went viral on X yesterday after it was uploaded by the professor himself.

However, it received a backlash from Malaysians before the post was deleted by Gilley, who also informed that he had departed from Malaysia today.

Meanwhile, UM also lambasted the professor for saying that Malaysia is not safe for travellers in his latest post.

While describing the statement as extreme and irresponsible and has provoked the anger of all Malaysians, UM said it will continue to support the government's stance against any elements related to Israel and fully support the effort to recognise Palestine as a sovereign state.

In a separate statement, UM Progressive Student group opined that the university should take action and give a final warning to any individual who uses the principle of academic freedom to deliberately try to touch on sensitive matters in this country.

The group also criticised the action taken by the UM Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences to invite the pro-Zionist professor, while questioning the propriety of the faculty's action.

“What exactly are they trying to prove? Are they trying to say that they do not support the Prime Minister’s action in championing the Palestinian cause?” they said.

-- BERNAMA